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Informal Document No.
(124th WP.29, 26-29 June 2001,
agenda item 2.2.1.)
ENGLISH
Original: RUSSIAN
RESEARCH STATUS
HARMFUL SUBSTANCE CONCENTRATION IN THE AIR OF
VEHICLE CAB/COMPARTMENT DUE TO ACCESS OF EXHAUST GASES
AND FUEL VAPOURS
Transmitted by the Russian Federation
1. Introduction
During the 122nd and 123rd sessions of WP.29, the Australian documents were
introduced (documents Nos. 1 & 3). Those documents contained proposals concerning
development of the Global Technical Regulations in regards to introduction a device
responding on inadmissible change of quality of air in the vehicle passenger compartment.
Since more than 20 years the Russian Federation applies Federal Standard concerning
quality of air in the vehicle passenger compartment, the Russian Federation feels reasonable
to inform WP.29 in regards of related experience.
2. Historical Notes
The first time the Federal Standard GOST 12.1.005 was entered into force in 1976 due
to initiation of the Ministry of Health. It specified the requirements to the quality of the air of
the workspaces, including the vehicle driver’s workspace, in regards to concentration of
harmful substances coming from the sources located on a vehicle, i.e. exhaust gases, fuel
vapors, etc.
Since that time the standard has been modified in terms of test methods. Currently it
has being revised in terms of requirements as well as approach in general, taking into account
the current level of vehicle design as well as consumer expectations.
3. Background
The research of vehicle drivers’ work conditions from the standpoint of sanitary and
hygiene has been carrying out in the Soviet Union and now in the Russian Federation. The
results of that research indicated that the drivers’ working activity is influenced by different
harmful factors. The most important of those factors is toxic influence of exhaust gases and
vapors from vehicle fuel and exhaust systems at the time of vehicle usage. It is well known
that the drivers’ working activity requires permanent concentration of attention to the driving
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conditions that are kept changed, permanent readiness to avoid traffic collisions, and
responsibility for the life of all traffic participants.
The research results indicated that 100% of the drivers being surveyed evaluate their
work as very hard. Almost 80% of working time drivers are permanently concentrated on
moved information subjects, with average density of information signals 1,352 in an hour.
As well known, the major part of toxic gases penetrated to the vehicle cab air are
carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO, NO2), different carbohydrates (mostly methane
group) (CmHn). Appearance of such toxic components in the cab air considerably deteriorates
drivers’ response actions in regards to their stability, concentration on and switching the
subjects of attention by 10.5%, endurance of hand mussels deteriorates by 26%. Almost all
the drivers indicate deterioration in health and fatigue by the end of work day.
The Table 1 presents some of criterions of negative influence of toxic components of
vehicle exhaust gases on the human health.
Table 1
Criterions of negative influence of toxic components of vehicle exhaust gases
on the human health.
Harmful
Substance
Concentration
(mg/m3)
Influence
Time
СО
СО
6
30
25 minutes
3 hours
СО
50 - 60
2 hours
NO2
NO+NO2
0.14
12
5 minutes
25 minutes
С2Н3СНО
С2Н3СНО
СmHn
0.6
2.0
300
5 minutes
5 minutes
Several
hours
Symptoms
Reduction of color and light eye sensibility
Reduction of accuracy of visual perception of
space and night eyesight
Reduction of hearing, change in heart rhythm
Reduction of color eye sensibility
Irritation of eye and nasal areas, reduction of
diffusion CO2 in lungs
Irritation of eye and nasal areas
Extreme irritation of eye and nasal areas
Influence similar to that of drugs, instability of
nerve system response
The development of the standard setting the test procedure for harmful substance
evaluation, norms and criterions of their concentration in a vehicle cab / compartment air was
one of the measures objected to reduction of influence of toxic components on driver and
passengers through improvement of quality of produced vehicles.
4. Development of the Russian Federal Standard GOST R 51206 “Road Vehicles.
Harmful Substance Concentration in the Air of Cabs and Compartments. Specifications
and Test Methods”
The standard entered into force in 1999.
The evaluation criterions of harmful substance concentration in vehicle cabs /
compartments were the limits of allowable concentrations in the air of workspaces (LACst)
specified in the standard GOST 12.1.005.
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The list of toxic substances and related LACst and comparable levels of maximum
concentration of those in the air of residential areas (LACra), as allowed in Russia, is shown in
the Table 2.
Table 2
The requirements to the concentration of toxic substances in the air of vehicle
cabs / compartments (LACst) and in the air of residential areas (LACra)
Toxic Substance
СО
NOx, total
NO
NO2
СmHn
Carbohydrates С1-С5
Carbohydrates С6- С10
С2Н3СНО
LACst (mg/m3)
20
5
5
2
300
0,2
LACra (mg/m3)
5
0,4
0,085
50
30
0,03
Type of fuel
All types
All types
All types
All types
All types
All types
All types except CNG
Diesel
The tests are performed on M- and N-category vehicles.
The test procedure is performed by measuring concentration of harmful substances
listed in the Table 2 (first column) in the air of vehicle cabs / compartments at two conditions:
I – at constant speed motion (50 + 5 km/h) at constant gear;
II – on standing vehicle with idling engine at minimum rpm.
The standard sets the test conditions in regards to heating, ventilation, air conditioning
system performance, windows, hatches, and sun roofs.
5. Some Results
Among chosen for analysis more than 100 domestic and imported vehicles of all
categories being tested according to the GOST R 51206 for the purpose of a vehicle type
approval, the number of samples not complying with the requirements was not more
than 2.5%.
The basic reasons of incompliance, which percentage is shown on the chart, were as
follows:
A) Related to vehicle design:
non-successful choice of position of edge(s) of exhaust system of air inlets of
heating / ventilation systems relatively to air-dynamic parameters of air flow
around the vehicle body;
non-successful design of fuel tank(s) or other fuel system components;
non-successful design of sealants
B) Related to the particular vehicle assembly technical conditions:
defects in vehicle assembly in particular to the sealant mountings;
similar defects but appeared in the vehicle exploitation.
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6. Further Development
The current level of vehicle quality and number of vehicles in-use in the Russian
Federation requires certain changes in mind in terms of what is the vehicle for its user. Before
we used the approach to the vehicle as drivers’ workspace. Now almost 90% of the fleet is in
private use, buses and trucks are equipped with the places for sleeping and other improved
living conditions. Thus, now the vehicle should be considered not only as a workspace, but
also as a space of human inhabitance.
Accordingly, the requirements to the harmful substance concentration in the air of all
category vehicle cabs / compartments should be established basing on evaluation of the cabs /
compartments not as a workspace, but as a space of inhabitance in terms of air.
The results of preliminary analysis indicate that such an approach will not cause
troubles with homologation of vehicles, which design is free of defects indicated above.
At the same time, setting the requirements more strict will increase the role of
inspection of pollution caused by carbohydrates and nitrogen oxides, which is important from
the hygienic standpoint, but requires additional collection of data.
The further development of the standard supposedly will be related in addition to:
inspection of vapors of the plastic interior materials in the conditions
simulating heating by solar radiation;
inspection of effectiveness of air filters in the ventilation system.
7. Conclusions

Provision of quality of air in vehicle cabs / compartments is important factor of
traffic safety.

The Russian Federation applies national standard related to the provision of
compliance of the air in vehicle cabs / compartments to the Sanitary Regulations.
Currently this standard is being specified.

The Russian Federation Authorities do not see the reasons for requiring a device
acting in case of exceeding sanitary norms.

In case, if WP.29 would consider importance of the discussed problem for world
community, and development of the Draft Regulations would correspond with the
approach of the Russian Federation, the Russian Federation is ready to cooperate
in development of such a standard.
__________
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Chart. The Basic Reasons of Incompliance of the Tested Vehicles
to the Requirements of GOST R 51206
50
%
30
1 - Non-optimal position of edge(s) of exhaust system relatively to the vehicle body
2 - Toxic substance penetration due to design, deviations from assembly technology
process, non-optimal position of fuel tank, lack of hermiticity of fuel filler cap
3 - Poor quality of assembly of cabs and bodies of special purpose vehicles assembled on
general platform
4 - Malfunction of lack of hermiticity of exhaust system
5 - Toxic substance penetration from the engine compartment or from outside through the
ventilation hatches
6 - Poor quality of rubber sealing components in the hatches, sunroofs, doors, and
windows
7 - Breaking of engine adjustments
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2
5
5
5
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4
5
5
5
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